


Explosion

by zebraljb



Series: Hershey Kisses [5]
Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Bedside Hand-Holding, Bedside Vigils, Coma, M/M, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-05
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-10-22 20:52:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17669879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zebraljb/pseuds/zebraljb
Summary: PROMPT - A kiss so desperate that the two wind around each other, refusing to let go until they are finished.Merlin sits by Harry's bedside and waits.  And waits.





	Explosion

EXPLOSION

“An explosion, you say?” Merlin goes absolutely still. “At the university. And Agent Galahad?” He snaps his pencil in two. “Yes. That is correct. I will meet ye in Medical.” He disconnects the call, stands up and straightens his jumper. He places his clipboard under one arm and takes exactly three deep breaths. He taps the side of his glasses as he leaves his office. “Morgana, I’ll be needing ye to take over with the recruits today. Something has come up.”

 

Merlin stares down at the face he loves, his spine ramrod straight, his face unreadable. “Physically he is unharmed. Some bumps and bruises, but nothing that won’t heal. His MRI…”

“I can read his MRI,” Merlin interrupts. “Forgive me, doctor.” Merlin rubs at his forehead. “I hate when agents come in like this.”

“We all do,” the doctor says. He reaches out to touch Merlin and seems to think better of it. “Right now all we can do is wait.”

“Right.” Merlin stares down at Harry for a long moment. “I will be back.”

 

Merlin’s minions stand in a straight line that reminds him of the children in The Sound of Music, although he hasn’t asked them to line up. He’s simply asked them to pay attention. “I have a feeling that I will need to be…away…from my duties as training coordinator,” Merlin says. “I rely on ye to handle the recruits as I would handle them. Is that understood?”

“Yes, sir,” they answer as one.

“Morgana, I would like ye to focus on Roxanne, Eggsy, Rufus and Charlie. Ector, please monitor the rest.” They nod. “Ye will report to me every day…I will always be available via my glasses or clipboard.” They nod again. “If something is of dire importance, I will come down here to work on it.”

“Yes, sir,” they answer again.

“Good. I know I can count on you.”

Merlin stops back at his office for his favorite mug, his book, and an extra jumper. He doesn’t plan on leaving Medical any time soon.

 

It’s midnight when he finally settles by Harry’s bed and takes his hand. The Medical staff are fully aware of his training and know they need not come into Harry’s room except to occasionally check his vitals. There’s a skeleton crew on overnight, and Merlin knows he can finally relax by his lover’s side.

“Harry, I know ye feel ye are indestructible, but I have a secret for ye, ye are nae immortal.” He picks up Harry’s hand and kisses it. “Ye also are nae a cat. Ye dinnae have nine lives.” He places his cheek against the back of Harry’s hand. “We only have this life, this one life together…and I need ye in it. I cannae live without ye, my Galahad.”

He finally sleeps in the chair with Harry’s hand in his.

 

Days pass and he remains every vigilant at Harry’s bedside, at least overnight. Even though he’d like to run the training remotely from Harry’s room, it will raise too many eyebrows and cause too many questions. Very few people at Kingsman know of their relationship. Andrew in the shop. Tristan. Morgana. Percival. Even Chester only thinks they are old friends, and Merlin wants to keep it that way. The less Chester knows and could ever hold against them, the better.

That’s why it sends chills up Merlin’s spine when Chester shows up in Harry’s room. He knows it’s not out of concern; Chester sees his agents as expendable and nothing more. There are always more wealthy young men with silver spoons up their arses to take the place of a deceased agent. 

“His MRI shows no sign of concussion,” Merlin tells him. “No direct brain trauma at all.”

“How much longer can he be out?” Chester asks. Not “when will he wake up” or “do we think he’ll wake up.” Merlin wants to punch him.

“That’s the million dollar question. We don’t know what he was exposed to in there.”

“What about Harry’s footage? It didn’t stream to his home terminal.”

Merlin inwardly smiles. “Encrypted and uncrackable,” he says. Of course it is. He taught Harry himself. “If and when he comes around, you might want to have a word with him about sharing his password.”

They are interrupted by Eggsy Unwin, the one person Merlin welcomes into Harry’s room. Even though they’d only had a short time together, it’s obvious that Eggsy likes Harry, admires him. Merlin simply encourages him, suggesting that he do well in his training and make Harry proud. Merlin likes this boy and sees a great deal of potential in him. And he knows Harry will be insufferable if Eggsy reaches the table. Merlin can’t wait to see it.

Days go by, and then weeks. Merlin allows Harry’s hair and beard to grow to a length that would horrify him if he were awake to see it. But he isn’t awake. He slumbers on, completely insensitive as to what his little nap is doing to Merlin. “Ye fucking prick, if ye wanted a vacation, ye simply needed to put in the proper paperwork.” Merlin removes his glasses and rubs at his eyes. He’s not sleeping, barely eating, and getting by simply on strong tea and the occasional piece of toast. “But nae, ye need to do EVERYTHING in a blaze of bloody glory. When ye wake up and are cleared by Medical I’m sending ye to the jungle. Or the desert. Or even worse…the States.” Merlin wipes away a tear. “I cannae lose ye, ye dramatic peacock. Please, wake up, Harry. I have never begged ye for anything, but I am now.”

 

Of course it’s when Merlin finally goes to his own suite and takes a shower and well-needed nap that Harry finally wakes up. Because Harry has been put on this earth to make his life as difficult as possible. Merlin thanks the nurse when she calls and slowly gets himself ready. He wears a simple pair of trousers and a jumper, but it’s a jumper Harry hates and Merlin knows it.

When he arrives at Harry’s room he’s a bit surprised to see Eggsy there. He supposes he shouldn’t be; he’s been there more than anyone else other than Merlin himself. He hides his surprise at the sight of Eggsy as well as the sight of Harry clean-shaven with his long hair slicked behind his ears. He busies himself with his discussion of Valentine, and allows his irritation with Harry to show in the way he glares at Eggsy when the boy steals his clipboard. When Harry steals it as well, the irritation is real.

But then Eggsy has finally left, smug in the knowledge that he’d educated his elders. Merlin taps at his clipboard once it’s in his hands again, turning off all cameras and recording devices in Harry’s room. “Hello, Hamish,” Harry says softly, his grin warm. He reaches for Merlin. 

Merlin side-steps him easily and Harry’s grin fades away. “Dinnae think ye can just put that beautiful fucking smile on your beautiful fucking face and I will forgive ye, Harry Hart.”

“Wh-what?”

“I’m assuming ye know the myth of your namesake? Galahad is permitted to name the time of his death, and when he does, angels take him to Heaven. Ye do not have that power, Harry. Ye will go when the great Almighty calls your name…and I would greatly appreciate it if ye would not hurry the process along!”

“You act as if I WANTED to have myself blown out of a building!” Harry snaps. “It was most definitely NOT on my calendar for that day.”

“I do believe ye LOOK for ways to turn me prematurely grey!” Harry looks at Merlin’s bald head and bites his bottom lip. “Oh, do shut up.” Merlin tosses his clipboard on the bed and begins to pace. “Ye are lucky I don’t go to Chester right now and tell him to bench ye for the foreseeable future.”

“You don’t have the right to do that,” Harry says incredulously. “You’re only Merlin. You’re not…” Harry closes his eyes and winces. “I did not mean that, Hamish. Forgive me.”

“That is right. I am only Merlin. I have to stand by and watch ye walk into a building and come out by way of fire and smoke and a broken window.” Merlin swallows hard. “And then I have to walk around here pretending that it does nae affect me except in a professional capacity. I have to pretend that my heart is nae laying on a hospital bed hooked up to machines and nae responding when I call his name.”

“I’m sorry,” Harry whispers. “If this is getting too difficult for you, Hamish, watching me in the field, I understand if…”

“Ye understand nothing,” Merlin says fiercely. “I have loved ye for twenty plus years, Harry Hart, and am unwilling to stop doing it now.”

He reaches for Harry and pulls him close, wrapping his arms around him while one hand slides up into his hair. Their lips meet in a violent kiss, Harry giving as good as he’s getting. He feels Harry’s hand fist in his jumper at the same time Harry’s teeth bite down on his bottom lip. “I love you, Hamish,” Harry manages when he comes up for air. “I love you and I hate when you are hurting. I’m so sorry.”

“I know, mo chridhe. I know.” Merlin turns and walks backwards as they kiss, refusing to let Harry go even as he sits down hard on the bed. Harry falls onto his lap, shoving his red dressing gown out of the way so he can straddle Merlin’s legs. 

“I’m so sorry…I’m sorry you had to sit by my bedside and just…watch me lie there.” Harry’s hands stroke over the back of Merlin’s head. “Because I know you, and I know you’ve probably lived in this room. I would never purposefully do anything to hurt you, my dearest.” 

“Harry,” Merlin whispers, the pressure of the last few months finally pushing forth and erupting from his soul.

“Shh,” Harry says. He pulls Merlin’s head down, tucking it on his shoulder.

Merlin sobs, his body almost seizing in Harry’s arms. Harry says nothing at first, simply rocks him a bit and holds him close. When Merlin’s down to hiccupping breaths he finally smiles against the dressing gown. He can hear Harry murmuring in his ear and he realizes it’s the few Gaelic phrases of love that he’s picked up from Merlin. His accent is dreadful but Merlin doesn’t care. It’s the loveliest thing he’s ever heard. “I will nae forgive ye for this,” he finally says.

“I don’t expect you to. But I will do my level best not to let it happen again.” Harry pulls back to smile at him, wiping at Merlin’s cheeks with his thumbs.

“Arthur wishes to talk with ye,” Merlin says. Harry makes a face. “And I’m sure I could see fit, with the right persuasion, to allow young Unwin to come visit ye after hours.”

Harry’s face lights up. “He’s a good boy.”

“He is. He reminds me a great deal of the man who nominated him for the position.”

“Yes, he does, doesn’t he.” Just as Merlin thought. Harry was going to be insufferable. “Now…before Chester shows his ugly face, how about I get to persuading you to let Eggsy come by later.”

“I suppose that would be acceptable.” Merlin wraps Harry in his arms again, finally forgetting about agents and missions and Kingsman, if even for a moment.


End file.
